Now that we've passed the halfway mark of 2015, let's take a quick look at the year's best books so far, ranked from good (three stars) to excellent (five stars).

Plenty of topics made the mix, from public shaming to punctuation to 70-something sweethearts. Bonus: Most of these titles come in at a reasonable length, which means they're short enough to consume on the beach or somewhere cool with a cocktail.

Set in late-fifth-century Britain, Ishiguro's novel contemplates the pros and cons of forgetfulness in both a married couple and in society at large.

"Finders Keepers," by Stephen King (xxx)

Starring the same unlikely trio King introduced in "Mr. Mercedes," "Finders Keepers" is a suspense novel about an avid reader who's obsessed with a reclusive writer. Sound like any other Stephen King novel you know?

"The Girl on the Train," by Paula Hawkins (xxx)

A psychological thriller that reads like literary fiction, "The Girl on the Train" exposes the horror that can creep into intimate relationships.

"Hold Still: A Memoir With Photographs," by Sally Mann (xxx)

In her ninth book, provocative photographer Sally Mann turns the lens back on herself to explore childhood memories and the "genetic threads" of her family history.

"In the Unlikely Event," by Judy Blume (xxx)

In this novel for adults by the queen of young adult fiction, 15-year-old Miri lives through a terrifying three-month period during which three passenger planes crash in her hometown of Elizabeth, N.J.

"So You've Been Publicly Shamed," by Jon Ronson (xxx)

A gripping guide to crushing examples of public shaming.

Between You & Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen," by Mary Norris (xxxx)

Norris, an editor at the New Yorker magazine since 1978, knows more than you do about punctuation, grammar, spelling and permissible usages. Her book is laugh-out-loud funny from beginning to end.

"A God in Ruins," by Kate Atkinson (xxxx)

Atkinson's story reaches from World War II to the 21st century. The nonlinear format - which stacks different decades flush up against each other - emphasizes the swift passage of time.

"The Seven Good Years," by Etgar Keret (xxxx)

A memoir of essays about everything from the author's bathtime chatter with his son to the politics of the Middle East.

"A Spool of Thread," by Anne Tyler (xxxx)

The Whitshank family suffers the ordinary heartaches of jealous siblings, distracted spouses and aging parents. Added to this is the family's insistence that they be happy and special: a recipe for disappointment.

"The Sunken Cathedral," by Kate Walbert (xxxx)

Walbert uses footnotes to move between past and present, thought and action. Most of the voices are female, starting with two 80-ish widows who venture out to take an art class.

"There's Something I Want You to Do: Stories," by Charles Baxter (xxxx)

Baxter's story collection offers no clear antagonists or even steadfast heroes. Instead, the collection offers a meditation on the messiness of both virtue and vice.

"The Wright Brothers," by David McCullough (xxxx)

Part three of McCullough's trilogy on history-making accomplishments in engineering and technology focuses on the Ohio bicycle mechanics who built an airplane that could fly.

"Loving Day," by Mat Johnson (xxxxx)

A foray into the heavy topics of racism and colorism by way of a character named Warren Duffy, a black man who looks white. Johnson uses humor and irreverence to dissect race in this fictional tale set in contemporary Philadelphia.

"Our Souls at Night," by Kent Haruf (xxxxx)

An exquisitely spare and poignant love story about a couple in their 70s.